Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cushioned toilet seats, and more specifically to composite hinges having three arms or leaves, one each for attachment to the porcelain bowl, to the cushioned toilet seat, and to the lid.
Typically, cushioned toilet seats include a rigid annular support member of wood or plastic and an annular cushion of foam plastic which rests on and is supported by the rigid annular support member. Both members of the seat are typically encased in a decorative flexible film, often chosen to coordinate with the color of the bowl or other elements of the bathroom decor. The lid also may be constructed using a rigid generally flat base covered on the top with a plastic foam member and encased with a decorative plastic film. Cushioned toilet seats are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,949,432 and 4,248,646. Alternatively, either the lid or the seat or both can be molded from a suitable plastic material, such as a foamed plastic material. The foam cushion of the seat can vary in thickness as, for example, from 1 inch or less to 2 inches or more.
The seat and lid are typically mounted at the top rear of the bowl by a pair of hinges which permit either the lid or both the lid and the seat to be rotated from the horizontal position in which the seat is supported by the bowl rim and the lid by the seat to a generally vertical position. It desirable that the hinges hold the seat and lid securely on the bowl yet also permit the seat and lid to be easily and quickly mounted on a variety of different types of bowls which may be provided with hinge mounting holes located in different positions. Preferably the hinge is of a simple, easily cleanable design, and formed from a tough and readily cleanable material. It is also desirable to minimize the number of steps required to assemble the hinge when manufactured. High for toilet seats and lids are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,467,481, 4,398,307 and 4,314,382.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,307 discloses a toilet seat hinge having seat, lid, and bowl leafs, the lid leaf having a pair of downwardly and rearwardly directed legs from which laterally extend pairs of hinge pins. The inwardly extending hinge pins extend within recesses in a forwardly directed upright portion of the seat leaf, while the outwardly extending hinge pins extend within recesses formed in a pair of upwardly directed arms of the bowl leaf. When the lid leaf and seat leaf are assembled together, a wedge formed on the rearward edge of the seat leaf upright is used to cam apart the legs of the lid leaf, so that the inwardly extending hinge pins to snap into the recesses in the seat leaf upright.